A bag containing a pistol and seven live cartridges was recovered from inside the JNU campus on Monday, police said.

According to investigators of the Delhi Police, prima facie it appears that an outsider could have left the bag to “create panic on campus”.

A case under the Arms Act has been registered at Vasant Kunj North police station.

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The bag was found abandoned near JNU’s main entrance by a security guard. “The bag was discovered at 1.30 pm. A guard picked it up and put it on the table, thinking some student must have misplaced it,” said a police officer.

“When nobody came till around 7 pm, security guards opened the bag and found a country-made pistol, seven live cartridges, a water bottle and a screwdriver inside. Police were called and the JNU administration was informed,” the police officer said, adding that the bag was “new”.

Police said they will also ask the JNU administration to conduct a thorough check on the campus.

The JNU administration, meanwhile, said it has decided to install CCTV cameras on the campus. “The presence of weapons inside the campus raises a grave concern about the safety and security of all residents. Taking serious note of such incidences, the administration is in the process of installing CCTV cameras at the gates of the campus, sensitive areas and public places on the campus,” the university said.

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“The administration has also alerted all stakeholders on campus to remain vigilant and cautious, and requested them to promptly inform the JNU security about any unusual movement of outsiders or if they notice bags and other relevant materials lying unattended,” it added.

JNUSU president Mohit K Pandey said, “This is a matter of utmost concern for the safety of JNU community. Whoever kept the bag at the JNU gate surely wanted to threaten the JNU community… At a juncture when all of us are raising our voices to ensure justice for (missing JNU student) Najeeb (Ahmad), we see this as an attempt to threaten and intimidate the JNU community and divert attention from the issue.”